A concrete house may seem an odd choice for a family of four. But for Pedro Reyes, Carla Fernández and their two young children, there are few spaces sweeter than their sprawling Brutalist abode. At first glance, it’s a sea of gray. But a closer look and a half-hour’s conversation reveals its playful peculiarities – and its purpose.

Let’s explore the rehabilitation of an old warehouse by the architects of the agency Sadie Snelson. In this loft, the concrete walls and ceilings are coated with pink tones that bring warmth to this industrial setting. A bold choice that works perfectly. Prior to the conversion, the Clapton Warehouse in East London was a dysfunctional space that was divided into several rooms each with minimal sunlight.

This distinctive contemporary, designed by Roland E. Coate, Jr., offers sweeping views of the ocean, islands and mountains. Multitalented comedy genius Steve Martin putting his striking glass and concrete contemporary house in the mountains above Montecito on the open market.

There’s no more familiar symbol of New York grit than the exposed rooftop water tank. In the chic stretches of the Upper East Side, though, the utilitarian tends to get dressed up, and prewar buildings typically have their tanks elegantly encased in towers that match the architecture below. This Penthouse in a Water Tower is such an example.

The Fun House, is a 165-square-metre apartment in Zhubei, Taiwan. The interior designers carefully abided by the client’s request that the final result hint at industrial style, albeit infused with colour.

A good sign of a true loft: a place with history; if you have a new building though, it’s harder to do – but not impossible. The architect Leo Lugovskoy have done just that: create a space full of compelling legends about a wonderful past. Thus the Midlife Crisis Loft, in the heart of Moscow, Russia was born.

Lofts and cats – what can go wrong? HAO Design Studio designed this apartment in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan for a couple, their three beloved cats, and all of their collectibles. They were using concrete floors, instantly setting the tone for the modern/industrial space. A residence with cats – is this the next internet favorite?